Typewriter ribbon attachment



May 8, 1951 P. J. SCHULZ ET Al. 2,552,222

TYPEWRITER RIBBON ATTACHMENT Filed May 19, 1947 f ATTORN EY.

Patented May 8, 1951 TYPEWRITER RIBBON ATTACHMENT Percy J. Schulz and Frederick R. Schulz,

KansasCity, Kans. v

Application May 19', 1947,'seria1No. 748,938

3 Claims.

This invention relates to newrand useful im-V provements in an attaching means for releasably securing a typewriter ribbon to the ribbon spool of a typewriter for reeling thereon, Iand has as its principal object the provision of a metallic tab adapted to be fixed to the end of the ribbon, said tab having a longitudinally extending portion of relatively narrow width and an enlarged portion at the end of said narrow portion, *said enlarged portion being adapted to be releasably engaged in a hole provided therefor in the hub portion of the spool.

AAnother object is the provision, in a device of the character vdescribed' of means for attaching a typewriter ribbon to a ribbon spool for winding about said spool in either direction.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, ease and convenience of operation, and adaptability for use in a wide variety of typewriter ribbon spools.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appear during the course of the specifi-cation, reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein:

Figure l is an edge view of a typewriter ribbon spool of standard design adapted to receive a ribbon attachment embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fore view of the end portion of a typewriter ribbon showing the attaching tab secured thereto.

Fig. 3 is an edge view of the ribbon spool showing the ribbon attached thereto.

Fig. 4 is an edge View of the parts shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line V-V of Figure 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on line VI--VI of Figure 1.

Fig. 7 is an edge view of a typewriter ribbon spool showing a modied form of ribbon attachment.

Like reference characters apply to similar parts throughout the several views, andthe numeral I6 applies to a typewriter ribbon spool of a standard type having spaced apart circular flanges I2 and a substantially tubular hub I4 extending concentrically between said flanges and rigidly attached thereto. A bearing tube I6 of smaller diameter than hub I4 extends Iconcentrically through said hub and is rigidly fixed at its ends to flanges I2. Tube I6 may be rotatably mounted on a spindle of the typewriter. A Lugs I8 carried by one of flanges I2 are engaged by the typewriter mechanism to turn the spool.

Since two spools are normally used in a type'- writer, the inked ribbon being simultaneously unwound from one spool and wound on the other spool, means must be provided to reverse the rotation of the spools whenthe ribbon is unwound completely from either spool. In the spool shown,

this is accomplished by a bell crank lever 22 f hingeably carried at the outer surface of one of flanges I2. One leg 24 of said lever extends through a hole 26 in said flange and is adapted to be held by the ribbon wound Iaround hub I4 against said hub. When the ribbon is unwound,

leg 24 is moved away from hub I4 by spring 30, thus positioning leg 28 of the lever to trip thetypewriter mechanism to reverse the rotation vof, the spools. The specific structure so far disclosed is illustrative only, the only essential element so far as this invention is concerned being a spool having a substantially tubular hub.

The attaching rmeans of the present invention includes a pair of relatively large spaced apart holes 36 extending through the wall of hub I4. In the wall portion between said holes, a hole 32 of relatively small diameter is provided through hub I4 adjacent each of holes 36. A narrow slit 34 is cut in the wall of the hub to connect each of holes 3i) with the adjacent hole 32, as shown in Figure l. Holes 36 and 32, and slits 34, are substantially centered between anges I2.

A thin, flexible metallic tab 36 is adapted to be attached to the end of Ian inked ribbon 20 to be wound on spool I6, by rivets 38 or other suitable means. ISaid tab is provided with an extension 40 of a width less than the diameter of holes 32, and an enlarged head 42 having a width greater than the diameter of the hole 32, but less than the width of holes 30.

The attaching means is used as follows: Grasping tab 36 at its base, the operator inserts head 42 of the tab between lianges I2 and through one of holes 30. Tab 36 is turned so that its plane is parallel to flanges I2, and reduced portion 4I) is passed through slit 34 into hole 32. Tab 36 is then turned to move reduced portion 40 out of alignment with slit 34. The tab is then securely attached to the hub, and is prevented from pulling out by the engagement of head 42 `with the wall of hub I4 adjacent hole 32. The ribbon may then be wound around hub I4, the pull preferably being away from slit 34. When it is desired to wind the ribbon Iabout the spool in the opposite direction, the other hole 130, slit 34, and hole 32 may be used.

Tab 36 may be suflciently long that the above described attachment may be made without inserting the ngers between flanges, an awkward and troublesome necessity in the commonly used means of attachment. The tab is suiiioiently flexible that it may easily be wound about the drum. The operation of the reversing lever 22 5 is in no way hampered.

In the modified form shown in Figure 7, there is a single hole 44 of relatively large diameter formed throughzthe'ftubular wall'of hub I4; with a hole 46` ofvsmaller diameter provided through 10 extending through the wall thereof in spaced 20 apart.E relation, said: wall having.4 a slit't formed therein.-connectingsaid'- holes; and aplanary tabsecuredv to they endrofa: ribbon to befwound'on said spoo'LysaidI tabbeingfthinner'than said," slit and: having an.A enlargedY head` having a neck 25 adaptedto pass' through' saidV smaller hole but*I widerthanfsaict slit,` and said head" beings.dir'nerr-v sionedltopass vth'r'oughsaidhol'e of `largersize1but1 not'tozpassethrough said 'hole'of smaller size;

2j Inrardevice@ of thecharacterdescribed; a spool having: a substantially.' tubular hub and radallanges, said hub :having two' holes' of 'relatively/large size' formed" througl'the wall thereof'` inspaeed apart-relation, a hole ofrelativelyvsmall 35; 2', 032214 size-'formed through saidwalladjacentea'ch of said' larger" holes and" disposed' between said? larger holes, saidhubv wall having slits formed' therein-connecting each oflsaid larger holes'with thinner thanlsaid slits securedtol thel end of an inked ribbon to be Wound on said spool, said tab having an enlarged head at the end of an aXialll7 projecting neck portion, said neck portion being adapted to pass through either of said smaller holes but being wider than the associated slit, and said head being dimensioned to pass through said larger holes but not to pass through said smaller holes.

3..In' a device=of the character described, a spool having a substantially tubular hub and radial anges, said hub having a relatively large hole formed through the wall thereof, a relatively small.v hole formed. through said Wall at either side of 'said larger hole, and a slit connecting said largerrhole witheach of said smaller holes, and a'fplanar tab thinner than said slits secured to the end portionlof afribbon to be wound on said spool, said tab having a longitudinally projecting enlarged; head dimensioned to pass through said larger hole but not to pass through said smaller holes, and` said head being disposed at the end of'afneck. portion adaptedvtoz pass through said smaller holes but being wider than saidslits;

PERCY J. SCHULZ. FREDERICK R. SCHULZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following'y references are of' record in the i 'rile of this patent:A

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 427,355 McLaren May 6,1890 Howell Feb. 25, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Ni'imb'erv Country Date 14,997 Great Britain' July 2, 1906 137,136 Austria Apr. 10, 1934 613,149 Germany May 13; 1935 

